To the Journal editor:

Over the past couple of years, I have had a great deal of contact with Marquette-area health personnel. The experience has been beneficial and positive. But most of it would not have happened if I didn’t have health insurance as part of my retirement package.

A recent article published in The Mining Journal stated that a permanent extension of Obamacare premium subsidies would, per the Congressional Budget Office, add $250 billion to the U.S. deficit over 10 years, not a big amount when you look at Democratic and Republican legislation over the past 10 years.

President Reagan said something like, “Nothing is as permanent as a temporary social program passed by Congress.” Obamacare is certainly a social program.

Having access to affordable healthcare in the United States should not depend on an individual’s wealth, or whether his or her employer provides healthcare insurance. Therefore, a supplement is necessary for those who need it. But it needs to be in a reasonable amount and not so generous as to include income levels for those who can afford it, but say they need it because they are spending their money needlessly on large homes, luxury, cars, etc.

I am not a bleating heart liberal, but one who has generally voted conservatively for many years. I felt Biden’s “you all come” immigration policy was an act, not only bad, but also a disregard of U.S. law. And I support Trump’s deportation of illegal immigrants. I do not support illegal immigration. I do support legal immigration.

With the tens of thousands of homeless in America, we need to save ourselves before we can save the rest of the world. So all voters need to tell Democratic senators Slotkin and Peters to vote yes on the current budget bill. And tell your U.S. Rep. Bergman to help craft a bill and pass a bill that provides reasonable assistance to those who need to obtain health insurance.

One report said households making up to $400,000 a year get subsidies under the current legislation. How many of you make that in four years?

Both parties must learn and voters must insist that “buy now and pay later” is not the path of a prosperous nation. Rather, it is the road to crushing debt that will create devastating results.